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Overall, incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul leads her Republican opponent, Rep. Lee Zeldin, by six points, 47 to 41 percent, according to a SurveyUSA poll released Thursday, Oct. 20.
Four percent of likely voters said they plan to vote for another candidate, while 8 percent were undecided.
Hochul’s lead has shrunk dramatically from August 2022, when a SurveyUSA poll showed her ahead of Zeldin by 24 points.
On the issues, Zeldin leads 63 to 30 percent among the 18 percent of voters who said crime is the most important issue when choosing a candidate.
He leads by 12 points among the 35 percent who said inflation was the biggest issue, and by 22 points among the 5 percent who are most concerned about criminal justice reform.
Hochul, however, is the clear favorite among the 15 percent of voters who pegged abortion as their most critical issue, leading 80 to 10 percent, the poll found.
She also leads by 41 points among the 9 percent who said healthcare is most important, and by 26 points among the 7 percent most focused on guns.
Among their parties, 85 percent of Republicans backed Zeldin, while 84 percent of Democrats supported Hochul, according to the poll. Independents are nearly evenly split, breaking with Hochul by two points.
Zeldin represents the state’s 1st Congressional District covering eastern Long Island. He is a staunch supporter of former President Trump and was among the 147 Republicans in Congress who voted against certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Hochul, a former lieutenant governor and the state’s first female governor, is seeking her first full term in office after assuming the role in August 2021 when Andrew Cuomo resigned amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
She and Zeldin will take part in their sole debate on Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. at Pace University in Manhattan. It will air on Spectrum News NY1.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8.
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